Thanks to a policy change from the Food and Drug Administration announced on Wednesday, it may get harder for anti-choice lawmakers to rely on unscientific information to restrict women’s access to the abortion pill.
Author: ASRM News and Research
Early Fetal Abnormalities May Correct Themselves in Time
Abnormal cells in the early embryo may not necessarily mean that a baby will be born with a birth defect such as Down’s syndrome. Research published in Nature Communications suggests that abnormal cells can be eliminated and replaced by healthy cells, potentially leading to complete repair.
The Quest for a Family
For those who want children and can’t have them on their own, time is the enemy. But so is cancer. And money. And war. For those who fear an imperfect genetic history, it seems they must forge the steeliest of nerves in order to be successful. So many things can go wrong in the quest for a family, despite the high-tech world of fertility treatments and genetic counseling that hold promise for those who have been disappointed by old-fashioned measures.
Individual Cells in Four-Cell Embryos Chase Different Fates
To reveal new details of preimplantation development in mammals, scientists based at the University of Cambridge and European Bioinformatics Institute of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL-EBI) tracked gene expression in mouse embryos. These scientists found that divergent developmental paths emerge as early as the second day after conception, when embryos consist of no more than four cells.
Metformin Linked to Improved Metabolic Profile in Teens With PCOS
Metformin, a therapy generally used in adults with type 2 diabetes, was linked to short-term improvements in the cardiometabolic health of teenagers with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a small evidence review found.
Designer Babies: The Truth Behind Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis
The fear of designer babies may be real, but not everything people believe about them is true. Even the term designer baby insinuates vanity, suggesting a process in which couples can pick out traits for their child as easily as if they were choosing fabric samples for their home and removing entire traits or disabilities from the population. The reality behind such children is far from that flippant scenario, however: Here are four of the most common beliefs about designer babies, and how accurate they actually are.
Caffeine Intake — Even Dad’s — Linked to Miscarriage
A couple’s risk of miscarriage may rise when the woman or man consumes more than two caffeinated drinks a day in the weeks leading up to conception, a new study suggests. Risk of miscarriage also may increase if the mother-to-be drinks more than two caffeinated beverages daily during the first seven weeks of pregnancy, the researchers found.
Common Chemicals Linked to Endometriosis, Fibroids — and Healthcare Costs
Hormone-disrupting chemicals are everywhere — in plastics, pesticides and makeup — and two of them, phthalates and DDE, have been particularly strongly linked with common female reproductive conditions, such as fibroids.
In a new study, researchers estimate that the problems caused by these two chemicals alone could cost the European Union at least 1.41 billion euros a year, the U.S. equivalent of about $1.58 billion.
Fewer Twin in America in The Future
The twin birth rate has reached an all-time high in the U.S., according to the most recent numbers released from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). For every 1,000 births — the twin birth rate was 33.9 percent in 2014 (that includes all twin births, both natural and assisted).
What’s at Stake in Supreme Court Case on Contraception
The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Wednesday in a case about access to contraception and religious liberty, Zubik v. Burwell, No. 14-1418.